Umi no Misaki,  Favor
by starshipw
Summary: Nagi Goto has a problem. Three beautiful Shrine Maidens wish him to show them favor. What is a high school boy to do when offered such an erotic proposition? There couldn't possibly be a downside to this enticing proposal, could there? "Favor and Love"
1. Favor and First Time

Umi No Misaki - Favor

Chapter 1

Favor and First Time

Nagi peered over the top of the bushel basket full of produce at Karin's smiling face. He had to admit to himself that this was the Karin that he loved the most, more than the reserved shrine maiden, more than the pretty high school student, more than the ditzy neighbor who forgot to close her blinds, maybe even more (though it was a tough call, and he wasn't a person who liked making such choices) than the shy lover, but the outgoing best friend to everyone on the island.

He himself was basically an open person, ever eager to meet new people and discover what their lives were like, but he was in awe of Karin's ability to walk into a crowd and infect everyone with grins. It was unfathomable how it was possible without a single person assuming any open familiarity or anything but the deepest respect towards her. As she walked among them she soon discovered the state of every Granny's garden, every child's favorite toy, every Gramp's health, and what repairs every fisherman's boat needed.

The only thing that made him uncomfortable was that not a single person questioned his presence walking along beside the Maiden of Fire. Maybe they just imagined he was a porter brought along to carry the gifts of mackerel and melons, but the broad smiles and knowing glances directed his way lead him to suspect that his private business might not be quite so private as he might have wished. He really wondered how many of his neighbors suspected that the local priestesses considered him the latest reincarnation of the Dragon God?

The sun was setting as Karin said goodbye to the last group of well-wishers and packed a jar of pickled vegetables into her backpack. Soon the full moon rose over the indigo ocean behind them as they strolled down the road next to the coast. He looked over at her walking next to him and had to quickly swallow back a gasp. She looked so lovely in the moonlight, glowing contentedly as she yammered on about how hard everyone was working to make Okitsushima prosperous. Of all the beautiful sights he had seen since arriving on the island, this might just be the most spectacular.

For the last several kilometers he had pushed back a desire to just drop the baskets so that he could hold her hand as they walked along. The feeling now became overwhelming to do more than touch hands, but to embrace her, kiss her, press her body to his and taste the tangy salt sweat on her bare neck. He wanted... to calm down. It was beginning to become difficult to walk. He took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to have another failure in bed tonight like the first time, because it would make Karin feel she wasn't sexy enough. It sure as hell hadn't done anything positive for his own self-image.

When they reached the house he set the baskets down in the kitchen and began unpacking them. He especially wanted to get the fresh fish wrapped and stuck in the refrigerator, but Karin interrupted him. "Let me put everything away, Nagi. You will just get itchy if you don't quickly get a shower after working so hard in the hot sun all day."

Nagi finished wrapping the fish and went to get his pajamas and a towel. This was it. After their baths it would just be the two of them alone in their nightclothes. He was going to take it slow and not rush things this time. Just sit around and talk and let the night develop with no pressure. "Nagi, can I come in to wash your back?" He jumped splashing water onto the floor tile. His carefully laid out plans crashed as he admired Karin's figure wrapped in a towel.

Carefully he stood and backed out of the tub, sitting on the stool. Her hands ran through his hair, foaming shampoo. They moved down his back. The slick soapy feel was exciting. "Now its your turn." He averted his eyes when she moved in front of him. To look at her now in the bath felt too much like peeping. He ran his fingers through her sudsy locks. A girl's hair, so soft. Not that it was much longer than his own. Not like Soyogi's... Idiot, concentrate on the girl in front of you!

They rinsed off and climbed into the bathtub to soak. Her breasts bobbed on top of the water, the nipples playing hide and seek with each ripple. There was just no safe place to put his feet. Every time he moved, skin slid across bare skin. "Have you been in long enough?" She nodded, looking away. They dried off back to back. He turned around when she began to dry her hair. As she wrapped up her hair with her arms above her head, the bath towel came undone and slipped to the floor. Her scarlet blush spread from her temples clear down to her chest.

Nagi lost all self control. As he stumbled forward he forgetfully lost his own towel. He grabbed and kissed her hard, lifting her feet off the ground. They spun slowly around, their tongues wrestling for dominance. It was only when their pubic regions accidentally touched that they both spasmed and he almost dropped her to the bathroom floor. She pushed him back and whispered shyly, "Nagi, let's go to the bedroom."

Barely able to speak, he croaked, "Yeh." As she took his hand and led him into the hall he got a good closeup side view of her breasts. Firm, perky, maybe not as large as Soyogi's or Shizune's... Damn he had done it again. What was he doing seducing three different girls at the same time? Is there any way this wouldn't end in disaster? Did it make him a cad or a gigolo? At least he wasn't lying to them or hiding his other relationships.

A song kept running through his head. His friends had given him a going away party at a karaoke place before he left for the island. The tune they forced him to sing was an old American rock song. The lyrics were all translated into Japanese except for the one line refrain in English which kept repeating over and over. "If you can't be with the one you love, honey, _Love The One You're With, Love The One You're With."_

He stopped her in front of the bedroom door and unwound the cloth from her head. She protested lightly, "Your pillow will get all wet."

"Like I care. I love to touch Karin's hair." He placed both hands on her head stroking the damp tresses and kissed her.

She whispered, "If Nagi leaves the light off. We don't have to cover up."

Victory! That blanket was his nemesis. The first time they had tried to make love beneath it, he had been thwarted in every way possible. Undressing himself under the covers on a twin size bed had been awkward, doubly so for undressing her without seeming to take undue liberties with his fingers. Then he had straddled her, but sitting up the demon be-damned blanket slid down and he stopped and reached around to tuck it in around them but it took awhile before they realized that they couldn't do anything with her legs clamped together so he set up again and the blanket fell down and he had to pull it up while crawling between her knees and then he couldn't find where it was supposed to go in and he panicked and she panicked so he finally looked down and sneezed.

"Nagi, your nose..." Embarrassed, she looked away as he felt a slimy stream of snot running down his lip. He looked around wildly but the tissues were not on the headboard. There, on the computer desk. He had last used them going online after he and Soyogi and Shizue... NO! Wrong time to think about that. He hurried to step out of bed, but his foot was tangled in the blanket and he crashed face first onto the rug with his knees still on the mattress. "Nagi! Did you hurt yourself? Let me help."

"No just wait while I get it." He kicked and kicked until his foot finally came loose and he retrieved the tissues. There was a puddle on the sheets between her legs. Got to remember the tissues before making love. He put one down over the mess. It seemed sex was much stickier than mangas made it seem. Placing his fingers on her bare skin was no longer sexy, just embarrassing. But what was most mortifying was when he went to clean himself and discovered that the small dragon had shriveled away to nothingness. The little guy who stood haughtily and stretched toward the sky at the most inopportune times due to the most inconsequential of stimulus now lay limp while a beautiful and willing naked girl reclined next to him. It was enough to make him question his manhood.

Never again! He would achieve total control. This was going to be the most memorable night ever for both him and Karin. Clothes off, check. Tissues on the headboard, check. Foreplay, coming up. Little dragon, saluting proudly. He led her blindly around the end of the bed in the dark. They kissed again, lifting her into his arms. He set her gently onto the bed and she squealed. Something hard on the mattress had goosed her naked bottom.

Karin peered over her shoulder at the unshaven face which sat up next to her. She screamed, jumping behind Nagi, hiding with her arms crossed in front of her, while he balled up his fists to beat off the intruder. Anger, confusion and terror played across his features in turn. "Who are you? What are you...? Father?"

"I must say that I am very disappointed in you, Nagi. I did not allow you to come to this island so that you could just do whatever you want."

**Next: **Chapter 2

Favor and Sacrifice

"Love The One You're With" by Stephen Stills


	2. Favor and Sacrifice

Umi No Misaki - Favor

Chapter 2

Favor and Sacrifice

Goto Tatsu stifled a yawn. A long night arguing with his son, after being awakened by a naked girl sitting on his legs, had followed an even longer day traveling and he knew that it was a horrible idea to enter a negotiation while sleep-deprived. In the weeks since being named president of the North American Division he had been in discussions with some of the most powerful individuals in the American business world, but he was certain not a one of them had the strength of will to match Nagumo Yae. "My deepest apologies, ladies. I have a severe case of jet-lag after flying half way around the world yesterday, then catching a shuttle flight to Hontsu Island and the ferry to Okitsu."

"We quite understand, Tatsu-san," Obaa replied in her most pleasant voice. "It is very good to see you again after so many years."

"As it is you Nagumo-sama, as well as Narumi-chan and Mitsuragi-san. I have always regretted that we did not part under better circumstances and am greatly indebted to you for looking after my idiot son."

"Tut tut, what is past is forgotten. All that matters is that those whom Miyako-chan loved have returned safely to the island."

He shook his head, "Unfortunately we have something to discuss which is more important than rehashing old times. As a father I am mainly concerned about securing Nagi's future prospects and from talking to him I am not certain that what has been going on is in his best interest."

Obaa's face was serene and expressionless. "Whatever could you mean, Tatsu-san?"

"You know very well I mean this Dragon God bull-cr-." Goto stopped himself. This was going badly, unprofessional, but nobody could push his buttons like old lady Yae. "Your pardon, let me begin again if I may. I have always respected Miyako's religious traditions and never wished to oppose you, but we fell in love and when my internship ended and it was time to return to Tokyo to finish my degree we couldn't bear to be parted. I regret that harsh words were said at that time and for Miyako's sake desire that the imprudence of a young man be forgiven."

She shook her head, "Back then I also did not realize why certain things were necessary, but I had hoped that after you got married that you would begin to understand us a little better. Did you never come to appreciate your wife's beliefs?"

A look of anger crossed Goto's face, then softened into sadness. "I have never known anyone as devout as Miyako. Even after resigning as shrine maiden and following me to Tokyo she never missed a day at prayer. She had a knack for finding tiny hokora alongside streets traversed by thousands of unwitting people every day or sacred groves hidden down blind alleys and offering her devotions as if they were the grandest temples in the land. But only once did she mention the Dragon God in all the time we were together."

… … …

The doctor hurried into the office, sat down behind his desk and opened his file folder. "Mr. and Mrs. Goto, I have some good news. The pregnancy is proceeding normally and the fetus is healthy. I am prescribing some vitamins to build up your strength and some pills to help with your nausea. You can have copies of your ultrasound pictures if you like, but first I need to know whether you wish to know the sex of the baby?"

Miyako looked down demurely, "Of course Doctor. She is a girl, is she not?"

"Actually Mrs. Goto, in this case the baby cooperated and gave us an unobstructed full-frontal view and as you can clearly see in the ultrasound, he is most definitely a boy."

She was shaken. "I did not dare to hope, for someone like me who has left the island. He will be born on September 23."

"Of course we cannot predict the exact date, but yes, you are due the last week of September."

… … …

"Right there in the doctor's office she went down on her hands and knees like she was doing Pilates. She laid her forehead on the floor and began praying, 'Thank you Dragon-god for showing favor to this most unworthy vessel.' I had never considered dragons as being fertility symbols, but her religion comforted her so I didn't question it. That evening she wrote you a letter. What did it say?"

Obaa looked steadily into his eyes, "She wrote that she was pregnant with a boy-child Dragon God and that she would never return to her beloved island, but that she would make sure that you would bring him to us in his seventeenth year."

Goto ground his knuckles into his temples. Memories, both wonderful and dreadful, passed before him. He shook his head, "As you said, what is past is forgotten. The only thing that matters to me is Nagi's future. My idiot son tells me you call him Dragon God, but he has never bothered to ask what the responsibilities required by the position are. The next time the crops fail do you toss him into the nearest volcano?"

Obaa's reply dripped with bile, "Do you really think so little of us, Goto-san, that we could sacrifice an unwilling victim?" He had been through this argument before, the first time he had accompanied the maidens to the Okuhime Festival.

… … …

"Don't you see that human sacrifice must always be wrong. Killing somebody because you think it can gain a god's favor is just perverted."

"You have missed the whole point of the story of the Okuhime maidens, Tatsu-kun. Certainly the gods do not show favor to those who would shed another's blood." She looked so lovely with her hair dripping seawater and her white robe clinging to her figure that he found it difficult to marshal his arguments. "But it is a story as old as time of the soldier who dives on a grenade for the sake of his squadmates or a fireman who rushes into a burning building to save a child. The gods love those who would willingly sacrifice themselves for the good of others. As Maidens in service to the Dragon God we accept our responsibilities with joy."

… … …

"No, I do not mean to attack you or your way of life. I am only interested in what is best for my boy. If you think that he is the type of man who will sit around for the rest of his life doing nothing while farmers bow and bring him offerings, you have picked the wrong person. My idiot son has many shortcomings, but lack of ambition and lack of potential are not among them. With the right education and the right introductions to the business world, he can go anywhere on earth and do anything which he desires. Instead you wish to cage him on this tiny island, entrapping him with an adolescent harem fantasy by whoring out your own daughters."

"Father, Enough!" Nagi glared down at him, his face scarlet with anger. Goto couldn't understand what had gotten into himself to use such imprudent language. It always seemed as if the water on this island contained some truth serum which brought his deepest feelings to the surface. How else was it possible that he had been able to confess his love to a lovely local island girl when he was still in college and his prospects were far from secure. And now he had alienated his own son by attacking the girls with whom he was infatuated.

"I'm sorry," Goto placed his hand on Nagi's arm, urging him to resume his seat. He bowed toward the maidens, "Please forgive my rash words. Nagi assures me that you are women of the highest character. Nagumo-sama, Narumi-san, Mitsuragi-san my deepest apologies. I know that your actions are only what you think best for the people of this island, but how can I know what is best for my own son when your secrets are so shrouded in mysteries? Old lady Yae wouldn't give me the correct time of day if I hung her upside down over a crocodile pit."

"Listen Dad. Everything is fine the way..."

"You, I should hogtie and drag back to New York with me." He mused, "I wonder if that is even possible, or would the ferry all of a sudden develop mechanical problems and the fishing boats start sailing out of different ports?"

Obaa smiled enigmatically, "Fishermen must go where the fish are."

"Is that a local proverb or just a threat? Never mind, I know very well that attempting to separate him from these girls would only serve to drive them closer together. However as a parent I cannot blindly condone rampant underage sex among high school students. While the young ladies may already be eighteen, Nagi is not. Fortunately my idiot son is also honest and reliable, so when I tell him that the only way he will be allowed to stay on Okitsu is if he agrees to refrain from any sexual activity with these young ladies, I can be certain he will keep his word."

"No Tatsu-san! You don't understand!" Goto was surprised to see Soyogi's mother halfway to her feet. At a word from Shizuku's mother she plopped back down dejectedly. Rinne had tears in her eyes.

Obaa stared at him intently, speaking carefully, "There are certain traditions, going back centuries, which deter us from restricting interactions between Maidens and Dr... your son. The wisdom of the ages dictates that they should search for love, as you found love so long ago."

He almost sneered, "And the wisdom of seventeen years of parenthood tells me that children mature best with reasonable restrictions placed on their behavior. Even as a young man I knew better than to get a girl pregnant before marriage. The fact that none of these kids has apparently given the first thought to any form of birth control tells me they are not ready for the responsibilities of an intimate adult affair. If you would care to impart any details of your secret wisdom which would make me change my mind, I am listening... I thought not. Nagi, your decision?"

"I agree since you are my father. I give my word, but this is completely useless. I turn eighteen in four weeks. You have little faith in me if you don't think I have willpower to abstain for a single month. After that you have no say in my life. If you think you can control me by cutting off my money, well I think I have friends who would let me stay with them." Soyogi and Karin nodded eagerly, but Shizuku just sat immobile with her eyes downcast as she had throughout the whole meeting.

Goto stood, "Then it is agreed. Nagi, we have things to discuss privately. Nagumo-sama, thank you for the tea and cakes. Mitsuragi-san, it has been good to see you once more. Narumi-chan, I will be here for two more days if you have a desire to reminisce over old times."

As soon as the door closed, Obaa turned to Shizuku's mother, "As I suspected, he still has feelings for you. Use it. Change his mind somehow, even if you have to seduce him. Tell him anything."

As the mothers got up to leave, Narumi stopped behind her daughter. "Tell him anything, except the truth. Should he ever suspect the truth he would have a company helicopter here the next morning and we would never see either of them again. You have always underestimated and misread him, Yae. Can't you tell? After all these years the only one he loves is Miyako. Because of her he loves his son and sent him to this island as she wished. How do you think that the one who came in second will ever influence him when it comes to protecting that boy?" Her hand brushed Shizuku's hair, "I have never told you how very proud I am of you. You have become a fine Cape Maiden."

Shizuku answered without looking up, "Thank you for the sentiment, Mother. I love you too."

Alone with the four girls, Yae started pacing, finally turning on them. "You all know the stakes. One of you must earn the Dragon God's favor, and soon. During the next week or so each of you will be at your peak of fertility, so we must make our move as soon as that man leaves and your periods are over, whether Narumi is successful or not. If he is uncooperative there are certain herbs you can put in his tea. If necessary hold him down and force him. That way he won't feel responsible..."

"NO WE WILL NOT! Nagi-kun is Dragon God. We will neither dishonor nor defile him in such a manner."

"I will offer myself to Dragon God each day, but he will refuse. Dragon God will not break his word."

"My body and spirit belong to Nagi, for I love him and he is Dragon God. I will wait until the day he says yes, for that is his will."

Obaa was shaken by the unexpected rebellion. "This is for his own good as much as yours. You know what must be done if the Dragon God does not bestow a child upon one of you before the festival. I order you to..."

"You cannot, though you are senior to us all." Shizuku towered above the tiny grandmother. "You have heard the words of the Shrine Maidens. We are gods to the people of this island, just as Dragon God is our god. We have heard his words and we will obey. You have heard ours and you have no power to change them."

The Maidens paraded slowly out of the room, chins held high. As Karin closed the door behind her, she was the the only one who heard Rinne bawling, "Nee-nee! NII-NII!"

… … …

"Nii-nii."

"Oh, good morning Rinne." She was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Happy birthday, Nii-nii." She handed him a small box tied with a red ribbon.

"Why thank you very mu..." She kissed him directly on the lips and scampered out of the room. He stared after her with a lopsided smile on his face until she stuck her head back through the door, blushing bright red.

"Breakfast is ready at our house."

Nagi collapsed back onto his mattress. Things were starting to get interesting again for the first time since his dad had walked back onto the Hontsu ferry with Shizuku's mom. It would be nice if they continued to hit it off. Maybe the s.o.b. would unclench his sphincter a little bit if he had a girlfriend. At least his month of purgatory was over. As of 12:01 a.m. when the three girls dropped by to give him his birthday presents and a triple-layer home-made chocolate cake, he had been back on top of the world. To be able to kiss them again, not the chaste hands behind the back lips closed kisses he had allowed himself, but all out passionate tongue wrestling with Soyogi, full body contact limbs intertwined tonsil swallowing with Karin, and the lips, heart, body, mind, spirit overload experience that was Shizuku's kisses.

He felt like he was the prize in a bussing contest that he was definitely winning. Each girl would attack him while the other two cheered them on, then they would try to outdo the first. Nagi had been much too dizzy to pick a winner. The games ended much too soon for Nagi's comfort. Unfortunately, the maidens had to get up early to prepare for the festival. The goodnight kisses had seemed more wistful than passionate. Maybe it was his imagination, but when Soyogi turned away, was that a tear in her eye?

"Well, better get dressed. Rinne will be upset if I don't eat her breakfast while it is hot." He found a day with Rinne restful. There were no expectations, no anticipation of sexual encounters, no worries about moving too fast or too slow. With no sisters to bully him and having attended an all-boys school, Nagi didn't know much about girls. Suddenly being thrust into daily intimate contact with beautiful young ladies, knowing that all he had to do was reach out and touch them and they would do anything he wished out of duty, whether they despised him for it or not later, when he had spent most of his life alone... He hadn't realized how much his current life was filled with tension, and not just the tension caused by a month of parent imposed celibacy.

A quiet afternoon with a cute young girl like Rinne was tremendously enjoyable. She was so intelligent that she could talk with him like an adult and yet he had no reason to try and impress her. He could appreciate how pretty she looked with the azure sea behind her without his thoughts being overwhelmed by visions of nipples and pubic hair. The only strange part of the whole day was when they walked to the store to by some pork for dinner. The villagers they met were unusually deferential. It was common enough when he was with the maidens, but normally when he went out by himself the people were friendly though a little standoffish because he was still a stranger in an insular culture. He was beginning to better understand how Shizuku had lived her life and he didn't like it. It was better to exist lonely and anonymous surrounded by thirteen million people in Tokyo than to be revered by everyone who met you only to be denied normal human contact.

They cooked together and ate a pleasant meal. It would have been nice to grow up with a little sister. He was drying the last plate and putting it in the cupboard when Rinne came out of the bathroom. She was acting peculiar, not looking at him. "I laid your robes out on the bed and drew your bath water so you can purify yourself. Nii-nii, d-d-do you w-want me to wash your back?"

So that was what the little minx had been worried about all day. She was just so darn cute he could eat her all up. He did his best to keep the amusement out of his voice, "That is alright Rinne-chan, you have been a good little sister today, but I can bathe myself. Right now you are a little young to worry about such things, but it won't be many years before all the boys will be wanting you to wash their backs. Go get yourself ready for tonight's ceremony." He tried to remember if there were any boys in middle school, but he drew a blank. He didn't even know if Rinne had any friends her own age. A good big brother should learn these things.

The sun gleamed over the ocean as they strolled along towards the Dragon-God shrine wearing white dress robes. He was supposed to be there before the people arrived after sunset. Rinne did her best Shizuku Cape Maiden impression, her face impassive the whole time. It was a relief when she finally bowed and gestured for him to enter the shrine. Inside the entry the maidens were prostrate on the floor. He wanted to pick each of them up and kiss them hard, telling them he was just Nagi and he loved them and please don't turn their eyes from him. Obaa lead him back to the sanctuary where he sat and tried to meditate.

He awoke, unsure whether he had achieved some deep meditative state or just dozed off, hearing Shizuku begin the ceremony. Having been to a similar celebration earlier that spring, he noticed when she deviated from the traditional liturgy. She was announcing the return of the Dragon-God. Soyogi and Karin led him out onto the porch. He had expected murmurs of surprise or protest, but all bowed before him chanting "Dragon-God returns." Soyogi began playing an ancient melody and the high sweet voices of the Cape Maidens sang a song of praise to the Dragon-God. In spite of himself, Nagi was filled with reverence.

He looked out at the worshipers and saw only the elderly. There were very few younger than fifty, or maybe mid-forties, in attendance, except for one child in the back. As he studied the slight figure it pulled back its hood. Kisaragi-sensei! Of course she wouldn't miss this whether she was invited or not.

Karin and Soyogi stepped forward and knelt in prayer before a pile of wood stacked like a teepee. Karin looked upwards, throwing her arms wide. Deep within the pile a gleam of light shone gradually getting bigger. "May the sacred fire bring prosperity unto this island and its people."

Soyogi opened up her arms and a stiff breeze blasted into the clearing, whipping the fire into a roaring blaze. "May the sacred wind bring protection unto this island and its people."

Shizuku knelt before the fire, raising her hands to the heavens and the wind became a gale dumping a deluge of water on everyone. "May rain, a gift of the sacred sea, bring blessings unto this island and its people." As the shower faded away, smoke and the smell of incense hung low over the crowd, making Nagi dizzy with its perfume.

Rinne handed the maidens torches which they lit on the bonfire. Shizuku started toward the stairs, followed by Nagi flanked by Soyogi and Karin and then Obaa and Rinne. Soon a whole line of torches was snaking through the dark countryside, up and down hills. Only as they were making the final climb up a narrow path did the fuzz eventually clear from Nagi's brain and he recognized their destination, Umi no Misaki.

As the torchlit crowd congregated on the cape, the third officer on a passing freighter logged that someone had erected a second light on Okitsushima. The next morning the captain reprimanded him for drinking on duty.

Nagi stood where Soyogi pointed as the assemblage gathered round him in a wide arc. The girls turned with their backs to the cliff and as soon as everyone was quiet, began reciting:

Obaa: Long ago when the world was young and spirits walked the Earth alongside men, a beautiful girl was born on the Island of the Gods. Now all of the men of the island had forgotten the gifts of the gods and only cared for their own wealth and increasing the number of their boats, the size of their fields, and the abundance of their herds and pigs. Only the girl's grandmother remembered the old ways and tended to the sacred shrines. The girl loved her grandmother and every day helped her to perform the rituals and care for the holy places.

Shizuku: Now the years passed and the young girl became a woman, the fairest the land had ever seen, and her affection was desired by every man on the island. And so as maidens will, she prayed to the God of the Sea to bring her a husband to love her.

Soyogi: That night in a dream the God of the Sea replied, "Maiden, ye are one much loved by all the gods for thy devotion and thy kind heart. I set this task before ye. If ye vow only to marry the man that ye love, I will send ye the husband ye desire." And so the maiden did pledge to the God of the Sea.

Karin: And it came to pass that the grandmother did pass away and the girl's father came to her saying, "Rejoice. Our fortune is made. Now ye may forget about these dilapidated shrines and obsolete rituals, for I have sold thy hand in marriage to the richest man on the island." And the maiden did reply, "Father, I cannot, for he is old and ugly and I do not love him."

Obaa: The father raged, "Ye are not my daughter. Get thee from my house. Let the gods feed ye from this day forward." And so the maiden ran away to live in the God's shrine, isolated from all others. She subsisted on berries from the woods and meager offerings of moldy rice and spoiled vegetables sometimes left by the villagers.

Shizuku: One day the maiden was out at Umi no Misaki, tending to the rock that is the god of the cape when a dragon flew over and spied her. Now dragons have a weakness for young virgins, especially admiring their taste, and so flew down and landed beside her. The dragon was shocked when the maiden just stood and gazed at him. "Girl, why do ye not scream and try to flee?" She replied, "How could anyone hope to escape from one so magnificent as Dragon-sama? I will do all that you ask and only desire that ye not harm anyone else on this island. If I die, then that will be my fate."

Soyogi: When dragon laughed the earth shook as the roar engulfed the whole island. "Fool! These humans have exiled and abused ye and yet ye beg for their lives. Return to this place tomorrow that I might eat ye or I shall destroy this island." Dragon flew off, his laughter rolling like thunder over the water.

Karin: At noon the next day the dragon crashed down upon Umi no Misaki and loomed over the maiden bellowing, "I have come to eat ye," to which she replied, "If I should die, then that is my fate." Now the dragon was only slightly peckish, having just devoured a tiger shark in two bites, and so he demanded, "Tell me a story. If it is not to my favor, then I shall eat ye." She replied, "Dragon-sama, grant me thy favor. I shall recite the tale passed on by my grandmother of how the twin brother and sister gods raised the earth from beneath the ocean."

Obaa: And so time passed. Each day the maiden sat within the curl of the dragon's tail narrating stories and singing songs, not only of the gods but also of the foolishness of the villagers, legends of the empires from across the sea to the west, and the tragedies of young lovers.

Shizuku: Until one evening when dragon flew off he forgot to threaten, "Tomorrow I shall eat ye." The maiden replied to his departing silhouette on the setting sun, "If I should live, then that is my fate." The next day when the dragon landed he did not ask for a tale but instead demanded, "In return for not destroying the villagers, thee shall become my wife and live with me on Dragonshome."

Soyogi: But the maiden replied, "Magnificent Dragon-sama, I have pledged to go whither thou wouldst and do all of thy bidding, even unto death. My body is thine to do with as ye might please, but I may only marry the man whom I love." Dragon leaped into the sky raging. All on the island were struck down with terror and fled from their houses into the woods and fields. That night smoke and fire emerged from the nearby Dragonshome Island and the earth shook and the sea was roiled.

Karin: The next day the maiden stood with one hand on the God of the Cape as the dragon loomed over her with smoke billowing from his gaping maw and flames shooting from his nostrils, declaring, "I shall now eat ye." As he prepared to chomp he heard a soft reply, "Today it is my fate to die. Please spare the islanders." Pain shot through his chest and it became impossible to breath. Life without that melodic voice became impossible to consider. Emotions unknown to dragonkind welled up within him. "I love ye girl. Ye are the one I love."

Obaa: Immediately Dragon's muzzle did shrink and his face became goodly. Breath that reeked of brimstone became sweet as honey. Indigo hair cascaded down his back, sparkling like dragon scales. His bare chest and arms rippled with muscles and his thighs were as sturdy as oak trees. Dragon's long thick tail transformed and moved to the front of his body.

Shizuku: The maiden exclaimed, "Dragon, ye are the one? The one sent by the god for me to love. Ye who were kind before ye knew the meaning of kindness has sacrificed magnificence for my sake! I thought our love impossible since thou were not man, but I wouldst that thou show me thy favor. Whither thou wouldst go, even unto death, I shall follow. And thusly he lead her to a hidden place and for three days and nights shared ecstasy."

Soyogi: And so they were married and experienced all the joys of marital life for many weeks, content in love and the tending of all the gods and shrines. Until one evening while huddled in each other's arms the young wife whispered, "Dragon, I am with child." Once again dragon roared, but the people feared not for even as the walls shook they felt only happiness.

Karin: Soon the wife fell ill and took to bed weeping in dread, "I am sorry Dragon, for it is too soon." Dragon placed his ear upon her swollen belly and laughed, "All is fine for there be three heartbeats. It is commonplace for dragonettes to lay three eggs." The woman became enraged, throwing pots and furniture crying, "Stupid, idiot, brainless dragon. Thou never considered I mightst wish to learn such truths!" For the first time in centuries of existence, dragon knew fear.

Obaa: And so began a long and difficult laying in. Even after the woman was delivered of three baby girls, each one more beautiful than the others, she remained too weak to leave the house. So it was that all the gods of the island came before the Sea God lamenting, "The people have fallen away. All our shrines are in disrepair, our holy water polluted and our standing stones overgrown." The Sea God replied, "The unfaithful must be punished, only touch not the keeper of my shrine, for her life is precious unto me."

Soyogi: And it came to pass that the sound of thunder was heard and the God of the Winds opened his mouth causing the air to became choked with dust and ash such that neither man nor beast could breathe for the noxious fumes, destroying those who rejected the gods. One fourth of the people did perish.

Karin: And it came to pass that the sound of thunder was heard and the God of Fire raised his spear causing flames to fall from the sky burning houses and barns and forests and fields along with all who inhabited them, destroying those who oppressed their neighbors. One fourth of the people did perish.

Shizuku: And it came to pass that the sound of thunder was heard and the ocean disappeared into the earth and the greedy rushed out to gather the fish stranded in the mud, whence the God of the Sea opened his hand and the waters rushed forth and covered all, clear to the base of the mountains, destroying those who cared only for wealth. One fourth of the people did perish.

Obaa: Those who survived came forward in terror and seized upon the dragon blaming him for their misfortune, binding him with ropes for to toss him into the sea. Yet when they reached Umi no Misaki they found the woman waiting for them.

Soyogi: Spake she, "Foolish people, know ye not that the guilty shall never find redemption in the murder of the innocent? Only the act of willing self-sacrifice may turn the gods' righteous anger. I shall go to the God of the Sea and plead that he withhold his hand that all shall not perish."

Karin: For the second time, dragon knew fear, "No you cannot. You have babies to care for. I, Dragon, am worth more than any human girl. Besides, I have a bone to pick with that old Sea God for allowing such disasters to happen."

Shizuku: And the woman bowed before him, "Whither thou wouldst go, even unto death, I shall follow." Dragon answered, "If we should die together, then that is our fate. Release me." But the men replied, "Thou wouldst sprout wings and fly away with the girl." The men did seize upon dragon and threw him from the cliff, but he did not plummet to the sea. The woman walked out onto the void and touched his ropes so that they did fall away. Hand in hand they strolled down into the black ocean whence to treat with the God of the Sea.

Obaa: The sound of thunder was heard and the ground leaped into the sky.

Soyogi: A fierce east wind did gale, blowing away the ash.

Karin: Torrents of rain did fall, extinguishing all that burned.

Shizuku: The flood did recede and the sea withdrew from the land. As the people watched, Dragonshome did sink into the sea never again to be seen and the God of the Sea did raise two new rocks in the bay, Dragon-god and Maiden, forever linked in love and fidelity.

Obaa: From that day until this, the daughters of the Dragon-God have kept faith with the gods that neither fire from the sky nor foul fumes from the earth nor the sea cover the mountains that the people should prosper.

Lost in thought, Nagi contemplated the legend. The words "favor" and "sacrifice" reverberated around his brain with new-found meaning. For some reason he was unable to get his head around what it might mean for his relationships with the maidens, but he began to feel uneasy when the sound of the worshipers chanting broke through his musings. "Dra-gon-god, Dra-gon-god."

Fear only arose when rough hands seized him and began stripping off his clothes. He tried to struggle, but strong arms hardened by tossing hay bales and wrangling angry hogs were too much to overcome. He was laid across the god stone and bound hand and foot with ropes tied by sailors whose daily survival depended on hauling lines and making knots which would never accidentally loosen.

He started to scream for help until he noticed three figures prostrate in the mud. Soyogi's voice rang clear across the whole cape. "Thou art Dragon-god. Thy fate is our fate."

Karin looked upward at him with clear eyes, "Whither thou wouldst go, even unto death, we shall follow."

Shizuku smiled contentedly, "If today we should die together, then that is our fate."

Nagi struggled violently with his ropes, "NO! You can't! You don't have to die too. Take me instead. Don't hurt th..." Stunned, he stopped in mid-word, his overwrought brain leaping to the realization that he had just uttered the magic phrase which had killed them all. By the island's own rules, they would have never been harmed if he hadn't just volunteered to become their sacrifice. If only he could take it back?

Nagi had never given much thought to religion. He went to all the festivals at local Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples with his father or school friends and had even attended Christian weddings and Christmas Eve services, but he had never before observed such intense dedication and belief. The island's good-hearted aunties and hardy fishermen shared a devotion to a religious ideal beyond his experience or understanding.

He had even less knowledge of mobs, other than watching riots on news programs or in American westerns, but his instincts told him that this one had worked itself into a fever pitch on the brink of explosion. These kindly grannies and sturdy workmen, the sweetest people he had ever met, had been promised a sacrifice which would protect them from the outside world and they were out for blood, his blood. If only he could convince them that he wasn't the dragon-god or any sort of god, but it was too late. Making such a plea to this crowd would be a blasphemy which could get him and the maidens torn limb from limb. The only thing he could do was look at the kneeling girls and proclaim, "I love you too."

Two men grabbed his arms and two others his feet and carried him to the edge of the cliff. Out of the corner of his eye he spied Kisaragi-sensei with her hood thrown back about to charge, but he shook his head violently. There was already enough tragedy tonight without an innocent getting involved. He began to swing. It occurred to him that with Sensei here it was just like that beach party with his classmates and the initiation ritual. That struck his adrenalin addled brain as humorous and he chuckled. By the time they tossed him into the pitch black night he was laughing hysterically.

Shizuku stood up, leaving her mud-splattered robe lying on the ground. A pure white aura covered her and Soyogi and Karin at her sides, blinding everyone with its glare. She sprinted towards the precipice, leaping magnificently into space, the swan dive pausing at the top of the arc for an impossibly long time before plunging into the void. "Nagi-kun!" "Dragon-god!" "Nagi!" Then they were gone, leaving all the people with night blindness and only the sound of Rinne's plaintive prayer, "Nee-nee, save Nii-nii."

Nagi struck the water with a bone-jarring thud and sank like an anchor. He barely retained enough consciousness to hold his breathe. Struggling was a waste of air. Even if he had not been tied, he was going to run out of oxygen long before his limbs began to respond after that shock. Even worse, the water was so absolutely pitch black that he had no idea at all which way was the surface. As it was, the techniques that Shizuku had taught him for free-diving would only delay the inevitable for a short while.

Shizuku broke her dive off at an intermediate depth. Their fates all depended on her now. She knew the tides and the currents at the base of the cape intimately, but if she had misjudged how far Nagi-kun had been thrown they would end up swimming in the wrong direction and would never find him in time. There was unanimous consent that none of them would ever resurface without Nagi-kun.

Soyogi sliced deep into the water skimming the bottom. Somewhere in this darkness was the man who made her into a complete human being. She would find him, save him or give her life in the effort. None of them would ever return to the wind unless the Dragon-god was by their sides.

Karin explored the shallowest depths. Her lack of faith no longer troubled her. She did not worry whether she was capable of fulfilling the duties of a shrine maiden because with all of her heart she believed in Nagi and would give herself only to him. Never would would she take another breath until Nagi was safe.

Bubbles began escaping from Nagi's mouth and crawling over his face. Too late he had discovered the direction of up. Now he sort of regretted that he hadn't spent his last minutes above water hyperventilating instead of laughing, but fuck it, guffawing was a better way to go out than sobbing. Besides, underwater no one can see you cry. The last bubble was gone and he was about to inhale a lung full of seawater which would render him unconscious forever. If only he could... When he had the chance he should have told...

In the darkness something grabbed his thigh. It touched his face and Shizuku's mouth clamped onto his lips and began blowing life-giving air into his chest. Hands worked their way down his body, pausing briefly in surprise upon encountering his pubic hairs, and began untieing his ankles. More hands and Karin lent him another breath of air. She worked her way behind him, pressed her firm breasts to his back and began carrying him upwards. Soyogi's mouth found his and never let go. If it was their fate, she would share her last wisp of air with him.

His hands were free and with two powerful kicks from Shizuku they breached the surface together. The full moon shone down on them through a crack in the rain clouds as they made their way toward the beach, slowly as he was continuously showered with kisses. On land they collapsed in a pile of exhausted bodies.

Nagi had read once on the internet that smothering or drowning could cause certain physiological responses in a male. He never discovered if it was true because the same reactions are also normal when three beautiful naked girls rub their bodies on yours. Nagi immediately used this physiological reaction to properly thank each of his rescuers at least twice in the ways the maidens most desired. Afterwards none of the four of them would admit to remembering which girl had been first or whether any of them had received any special attention. All that mattered was that the Dragon-god loved them and had shown them his favor.

And so it was that when Rinne, who had outraced Kisaragi-sensei and the rest of the islanders down from the cliff, found them sleeping in a confusion of intertwined limbs, the three maidens were using the warmth of their bodies to protect Nagi-kun-Dragon-god from the cool night air.

**Next: **Chapter 3

Favor and Love

Tatsu – Sign of the Dragon


	3. Favor and Love

Umi No Misaki - Favor

Chapter 3

Favor and Love

Nagi set the suitcases beside the front door. "Are you sure that you have everything packed? If you forget something I won't be coming home until the end of the semester next month."

"Don't fuss, Sweetheart, I checked all the closets and under the beds twice."

"I would feel better if I was coming with you. Are you sure I can't take you to the airport?"

"You have classes. We come here to make your life easier so that you can study, not to distract you from your lessons. Besides I've learned how to be a city girl by now and am quite capable of taking a taxicab and boarding a plane to Honshu without your intervention."

"I know, but it wouldn't hurt anything for me to cut classes just this once. My friends do it all the time."

"Kaito and that crew aren't trying to complete a triple science major in four years either. Most students find oceanography, agronomy or ecological science quite taxing by themselves without taking all three at once."

"Most kids don't have a family they miss like the devil or an island that is depending on them for its prosperity either. I don't have the luxury of becoming a professional student."

"That is the Dragon-god I love. Nagi-kun is always working harder than anyone else for the sake of the people."

"And that is the Maiden of the Sea I love, who is always working harder than anyone else for me." Nagi folded Shizuku in his arms and gave her a long tender kiss. It might have not been a kiss of exploration and passion like they shared that first summer, but it communicated an encyclopedia full of emotion and regret that they would be separated.

"Dada, me too!" Nagi scooped the three year old up and gave her a loud sloppy smooch on the cheek. "Daaa!"

"Hey Na-chan, where did you get that pretty dolphin?"

"You know. Birt'day."

"Wow, did you have a birthday? How old might you be?"  
>"Tree." She held up three tiny fingers.<p>

"Three whole years? She is getting quite old, isn't she Mr. Dolphin?"

"Bubba."

"Did you name her Bubbles, Nagisa-chan? What a cute name for a fish."

"No fizh, mamma."

"Right, mammal. Na-chan is going to be just like her mother and know every fish in the sea by name."

"No fizh, mamlas."

"Mammals, I'll remember that on my next test if you promise to be good for Mommy Shizuku and Mommy Soyogi and play nice with Kaiki-chan."

"NO!"

Nagi tried to give her a stern look, but couldn't help but smile, "Is that No you won't be good or No you won't play nice?"

"Kai-cha say she cage may-in. Me cage may-in help daddy."

"You tell Miss Kaiki that she has to take turns being Cape Maiden or the dragon will sneak into her bedroom and nibble her toes. Roar." He growled and nuzzled her neck. She squealed and squirmed down, running laughing into her bedroom.

Shizuku put her arms around his neck, "You are so bad. Now I'll never get her to take a nap on the plane."

He laughed, half apologetically. "Sorry. We will be home for the summer in time to go to the premier of "The Shrine Maiden" on Honshu. The critics who saw the preview are already praising the scene where the Yakuza chase Mike to the edge of a cliff and she dives into the ocean. One columnist even claimed that everything after Mike's closeup was CGI because the water couldn't possibly be that clear and no one could swim that fast underwater for four and a half minutes without a single scene cut."

Shizuku shrugged modestly, "Some of the bullet tracks were CGI."

"That is only because you out-swam the area where they had the special effects set up."

"At home, I still have the blond wig they gave me, anytime you want to pretend to make love to the famous actress Keiko."

"Uh-oh, a trap, but being an experienced husband. I have an answer. Yes, indulging in cos-play would be interesting, making love to a fictional character from a movie or manga."

She chuckled, "Fictional is fine, as long as you remember the difference between them and real women, you much-married man." They heard a car horn outside. "The taxi is here. Karin and Hotaru-chan should arrive before you get out of your three o'clock class. They will be tired, so even if she says she wants to cook, ask her to go out for dinner. We will see you at summer break, so... Nagi-kun, I love you."

"And I've loved you, my pretty Cape Maiden, since the day we first met and I picked up your straw hat." They kissed until they became concerned that the cabdriver might leave, and went to collect Bubbles and her best friend.

… … …

"Karin, I'm home. Did you have a good trip?" Nagi set his backpack beside the desk before searching for this month's guests. As the bedroom door opened, he looked up and stared in surprise. Her pink flowered summer kimono was tied in a halfway open position, showing a generous amount of sexy cleavage. "Rinne! What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet your Little Sister, Nii-nii? Hotaru-chan and Kaiki-chan both came down with colds, so neither Nee-nee nor Soyogi could come."

Nagi was beginning to get upset. "What about your studies, Rinne? If you miss a month of school you will fall behind. A girl as smart as you are should shoot towards a University education."

Rinne hoisted her bookbag from behind the door. "Sensei made out a syllabus for all my classes. She suggested I might be able to find some lonely college guy to tutor me while I was here."

"How convenient for her. She ditches a pupil and gets me to do her work for her."

"She does have more students than when you were in class. Families are beginning to return to the island. There is even talk of hiring a second elementary teacher for next year. Actually Sensei has been very helpful. She was the one who suggested I might want to come in Nee-nee's place."

Nagi fumed, "Kisaragi better go into hiding. The next time I see her, I plan on beating little lumps on her skull for interfering with my life." Rinne stretched up and gave him a deep kiss. "Rinne, your tongue..."

"Is that interfering, too?"

"Don't tell me Sensei..."

"She taught all us girls some things she thought we ought to know about boys."

Nagi saw the way the conversation was headed and knew that he was losing control of the subject. "Rinne-chan, you know that I have always cared for you as a little sister, but other people are involved too. First of all there is my commitment to your sister Karin."

"Nee-nee took me to the airport and made sure I got on the right plane to Tokyo."

"And I couldn't hurt Soyogi this way."

"She gave me a nightie to wear for tonight. You know that purple mesh one with the crotchless panties. I might not fill it out quite as much as..."

"But Shizuku never had a chance to..."

"Saw her and Nagisa-chan off at the airport. She gave me a hug and told me, and I quote, 'This will be the most exciting night of your life. You have been waiting a long time, so savor every moment.' Face the facts, Nii-nii. Traditionally in a pluralistic marriage, the women have all the power. Men have no voice in the matter of choosing junior wives."

"Wives?" Nagi was now completely flustered. "Now just one minute here. You can't go around making such decisions by yourself." He took a deep breath, realizing he was going to be crushed in any emotional argument. "Your historical analysis is flawed. I took an elective in cultural anthropology and can say for a fact that medieval Japan was deeply paternalistic. Women had little influence outside the home, let alone in the choosing of their husbands' mistresses."

Rinne waved a hand dismissively. "You are talking about mainland Japan, but we are from the southern isles. Ryukyu Kingdom, centered in Okinawa was matriarchal up until being influenced by Chinese Buddhist and Japanese invasions. Women ran everything, religion, home, community, property division, time for planting crops... They only let men take care of petty things like politics and fighting. It only make sense that they wouldn't leave something important like family up to weak-minded males."

He made a last futile effort. "But Rinne, it just isn't right. I've known you since you were just a child. Even worse, you're Karin's kid sister."

Her face dropped, looking like a puppy who had just been whipped. Her cheeks turned red like they had when she was younger. "But Nii-nii, don't you like me? Don't you think I look nice?"

Nagi put his hand behind his neck. He was done for if she started crying. He had never been strong enough to defend himself against any of the maidens and his little dragon was uncomfortably signaling its preference. "I've always liked Rinne. It's just that when you call me Nii-nii, it sounds kind of ecchi."

Her tears were gone, replaced by a seductive smile, "Wicked, ain't it, like one of Shizuku's mangas. You can call me Little Sister while we do it if it makes you hot." She ran her hands inside his shirt, noting with pleasure how his slender High School body had matured and developed a nice set of six-packs. "It sure as hell makes me hot. Sorry Shizuku, but I can't wait for tonight."

Her pink yukata slipped to the floor revealing that she was wearing no underclothes. He had no option but to take her up in his embrace and kiss her crimson lips, his hands exploring her newly formed curves. As he carried her into the bedroom, he realized that Rinne was completely right. When it comes to matters of the heart, men have no choice.

The End – or the Beginning of a Fulfilled Life

Nagisa – Seashore

Kaiki – Sea Breeze

Hotaru – Firefly


End file.
